In my last blog post I shared about the curiosities bookcase where I’ve displayed some family memorabilia. Today I’m sharing one of my favorite antiques – the bookcase that contains the curiosities. I realize decorating with antiques isn’t for everyone, but I enjoy using antique furniture, art, dishes, and even vintage tchotchkes as decor in our home.
As a child, one of my favorite places to explore was my grandpa’s workroom in the basement of my Gramma’s home. My grandfather (Harrison) was a carpenter so there were plenty of interesting tools to view. Though I never knew my grandfather (he died years before I was born), I was intrigued by his workroom and often imagined him in there repairing a piece of furniture or even creating something new. The room felt a bit like a museum to us grandchildren. We were not allowed in the room (which didn’t have a door) though we loved to peek inside.
However, my curiosity would sometimes get the best of me and I’d enter the workroom and take it all in. I can still clearly picture the room, the workbench on the right, and the oak bookcase with the glass doors on the left. The glass doors were spotted with paint and stain, cans of stain, paint, and old paste in a gallon jar on the shelves inside. Even as a child there was just something about this old, dirty (and nearly black) bookcase I really liked. Many years later, my Gramma gave me the bookcase, but it wasn’t until she joined Grandpa in Heaven that I brought it to our first home in Upstate New York.
I’ve chatted with my mom several times about the history of this bookcase, and its origins. We are sure it wasn’t from the old family farmhouse, but I can’t help but wonder if it was in the Sear’s Craftsman Style Kit home where my grandparents, mom, and aunt first lived (and lost during the Depression).
Vintage Bookcase
The Kit homes were sold by Sears (out of Chicago) between 1908 and 1940. The house they lived in was built in 1927 — and very near Chicago, so it could be a kit home. A bookcase with colonnades was a design option in the kit homes. It served much like a divider between rooms or at an entrance to the house with colonnades going to the ceiling.
Here’s a photo of a bookcased colonnade in a home for reference.
The bookcase I have is notched on one end where it would have fit against the framework on a wall, on the other end, there is a square “ghost mark” clearly the size of a square colonnade.
The backside of my bookcase is exactly like this one…
While I’m not 100% positive the bookcase came from my grandparents’ first home, I am sure the bookcase I have is a Craftsman Style Colonnade bookcase. What matters to me is that I enjoy the bookcase and the memories of it in my grandfather’s workshop. It’s a piece from my grandparent’s home, with a bit of history and mystery – and I like it!
Do you live in a Sears Kit home, or know someone who does — I’d love to see photos! This website might help you identify a Sears Kit home.
